#MJ Franklin | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

oliveroctavius · 10 months

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Hi, it's me again!

Do you know if there's a playlist somewhere of what music the Coffee Gang would listen to?

I feel like maybe a few artists were mentioned in the comics from what I've read so far, but I wonder if you had an inkling/headcanon/any idea what the characters would enjoy.

... Now that I'm thinking about it, the weird temporality of comics might make this an issue...

Oh this is a super fun question which I have no ready-made answer for. (If anyone reading this does have a playlist made or opinions on the subject, share 'em in the notes!)

Going by the comics timeline, I'd start with late 60s/early 70s rock and disco hits. MJ seems the most tuned into new music by way of youth culture and dance venues. Stuff by the Beatles, Beach Boys, Monkees, the Foundations, the whole top 40s list. (ASM #45/130)

Emphasis on female solo acts, maybe: MJ pulls an Aretha Franklin album from Peter & Harry's shelf, and I bet she likes Nancy Sinatra. Wherever she goes, the first thing she does is often to turn on some tunes. For the most part, she's the group tastemaker.

As for Peter, I'm guessing this ask was prompted by ASM 136:

It's a running joke that being Spidey keeps him a decade behind [current date] pop culturally. Ella Fitzgerald's career dates back to the 30s; I like to think that most of Peter's music taste + collection is inherited from Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Though humorously cynical nerd Pete might've had time to latch onto Tom Lehrer pre spider-bite, the way some modern high schoolers have a Weird Al phase.

The Osborn-Parker record collection is probably mostly Harry's, covering similar cultural territory to MJ's tastes. Maybe there's a never-opened Wagner opera in there courtesy of Norman. The girl on the cover of Hip Hug-Her always reminds me of Gwen, but I have no idea where her music taste might go. Movie soundtracks, maybe?

ASM 151 has notes on JJJ's music collection, of all people: Guy Lombardo, good lord. (And Mantovani is an orchestra conductor.)

Flash is a bit mysterious because his background took a while to fill in. In the far future of ASM 574, he listens to Tom Waits on Peter's recommendation. I was kind of nursing the headcanon that his dad kept Johnny Cash around the house and referred it to the only music for real men left in the world but rarely played any of it, until Flash got around to listening on his own and to his surprise really emotionally connected with it and reclaimed it into his own music taste...

In any case, there's a bit of music still left once Gwen leaves the scene. Kung Fu Fighting is PeterMJ's song, for one.

One of the last big nights out of the classic era is to the disco in SSM 24! This delightfully camp villainous music group is unfortunately not available on any music platforms, but KC and the Sunshine Band, the Bee Gees, the Jacksons and the Trammps certainly are.

And finally, based on this random panel whose issue I've forgotten, I like to think MJ got everyone into new wave at some point. The B-52s, Talking Heads and the Waitresses have reminded me of her. I also think her modeling connections would introduce her to the NYC weird art scene of that era, like Klaus Nomi, Grace Jones, and Laurie Anderson. By that time it would mostly be the Watson-Parker music taste, though.

Well, that's a whole lot of links to individual songs and not a coherent playlist at all, but I wanted to cover as many different bands/eras/ideas as I could work in. I'm sure I missed some though.

#ok HERE'S weird trivia: the Aretha album in ASM 130 didn't exist when that issue came out #but a compilation album by that name did come out in 1980. seven years later #coffee bean gang #comics #olivertxt

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kylereadscomics · 11 months

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@comfortfoodcontent did it first, but here are my Top 10 Marvel Comics runs, in no particular order.

Thunderbolts 1-75 by Busiek, Bagley, Nicieza, et al. - indisputably the best, wouldn't still be reading comics without it.

Defenders vol 4 1-12 by Fraction, Dodson, McKelvie, etc. - the shortest run on this list but one of my all-time fave comics that I re-read more often than most.

Amazing Spider-Man by Lee, Romita, etc. (issues 39-122) - while the Lee/Ditko run is great and features the introductions of so many iconic villains and characters, the soap opera elements of this era, culminating in the Death of Gwen Stacy, with Romita drawing both MJ and Gwen, makes it the best to me.

Spider-Man comics from Revelations to The Final Chapter - possibly the most overlooked era, this stretch of 20+ issues each of 4 different ongoing Spidey series, from the end of the Clone Saga/Ben Reilly era to the Byrne relaunch, are the comics that were coming out when I started reading as a young lad, and will always be my favourites, especially with Wieringo and JR Jr. and Steve Skroce doing much of the art.

Ultimate Spider-Man 1-160 by Bendis, Bagley, Immonen, Lafuente, etc. - The best attempt to make Spider-Man relevant to teens again without just sticking Peter in a perpetual loser cycle.

Daredevil by Nocenti and Romita Jr. (250-282) - I don't think there's a bad DD comic between 168 and 300, but these ones are the best.

Daredevil by Waid, Rivera, Samnee, etc. (vol 3 1-36, vol 4 1-18) - After a period of time where I wasn't buying comics at all, this brought me back and got me collecting like never before.

Fantastic Four by Defalco, Ryan, etc. (356-416) - I know in my heart that there are better FF runs, but this one has Lyja Lazerfist and Psi-Lord Franklin Richards and Sue Storm's ridiculous swimsuit costume and it is my favourite.

Post-Onslaught X-Men (specifically Uncanny 341-350, X-Men 62-71) - Again, these issues are intrinsically linked to childhood memories but also the Joe Madureira and Carlos Pacheco art is amazing and the stories are fun.

Captain Marvel by Peter David, ChrisCross, etc. (volumes 4 and 5) - IDK I just love these comics. They're very fun.

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thevindicativevordan · 7 months

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speaking of spider-man editorial being antagonistic, some people just can't understand, that this job is literally believed to be the worst one in the entire industry, because his fans hate everything and everyone. which is why they grew to dislike both them and things they want to see (married Peter, MJ, etc). Wells run is literally built on that, because they fed up with this.

Finally are giving us what we want on another Earth at least.

God I'm so fucking happy, it's my dream status quo with a dream team of creators handling it. Hope the daughter is named Mayday, they can name the boy whatever they want (I think MJ should get to name him but that's unlikely to happen). Perhaps we might finally see some of the toxicity surrounding the Spider-Man comics simmer down from both fans and Marvel. Yeah I am feeling delusional, but regardless at least I am fully checked out on 616 Peter, they can do whatever the hell they want with him at this point. 6160 Peter is going to be my Spidey for as long as Hickman is steering the ship.

Expect a lot of similarities to his F4 run I reckon. He did a great job with Reed, Franklin, and Val, Sue was the weak part but she still got some good moments. Hickman came late to making comics, perhaps his “way in” he mentioned was taking a Peter who gets his powers as an adult, similar to how Hickman found his calling in life much later than most writers do (he was an architect originally iirc). God I am exuberant about this book, just praying there’s no rug pull where the Parker family all die to give Peter his new Uncle Ben moment.

#spider man #ultimate spider man #jonathan hickman #marco checchetto #mayday parker

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ewzzy · 1 year

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Let's do a history of every Spider-Woman and Spider-Girl to have their own series. First up is Jessica Drew who really never had much to do wit the main Spider-Man series. She got her first series in 1978 and for a long time it was thought she was a hyper evolved spider!

Since appearing in Into the Spider-Verse, Gwen Stacy has been the most prominent of the lady spider people. Looking at these covers you can see Marvel has struggled with what to call her. Spider-Gwen makes perfect sense to readers but she can't be called that in story right? How about Ghost Spider? Whoops everyone is still calling her Spider-Gwen.

The Clone Saga and the kidnapping of MJ's baby never to be mentioned again made the 90s a rough time for Spidey fans. If anything good came from it it was the 1998 debut of Mayday Parker the Spectacular Spider-Girl. She's from an alternate world where Pete and MJ retired and their teenage daughter takes her uncle Ben Reilly's costume to become her own hero.

Aña Corazón first appeared as Araña in 2004's Amazing Fantasy relaunch. Eventually she got a new costume reminiscent of Julia Carpenter's and took the Spider-Girl name. Her whole deal comes from the Spider-Society that fights the Wasp-Society. That has become a key point the Spider-Verse comics.

Cindy Moon AKA Silk fist appeared in 2014 but her origin is that she was bitten by the same radioactive spider as Peter Parker. She was then locked away in a tower until she was an adult. When she first shows up there's this thing about her an Pete's spider-senses interacting in a way that makes them irresistible to each other and it sucks. After that her comics are great! (even though they keep relaunching with new #1's)

Okay but that's not even the half of it. Julia Carpenter first shows up in Secret Wars with almost no explanation but she's Spider-Woman for a while. Then she becomes Arachne and now the 2nd Madame Web. She's always struggled with having someone else's gimmick but she's in a good spot now.

Mattie Franklin took the name Spider-Woman in 1999 and there is almost nothing about her story that isn't tragic. She died in 2010 and honestly it was for the best.

Spiderman Renew Your Vows is an alternate universe where Pete and MJ have a kid name Anna-May Parker. Not only is she the teen hero Spiderling but MJ becomes Spinneret the Spider-Mom.

Then there's Ultimate Jessica Drew who unlike the regular version is a clone of Peter Parker. (Ultimate version from the same universe as Miles Morales) She's gone by a ton of names and can be seen here palling around with other cast off clones in the Spider-Verse event.

Bonus covers from Spider-Women and Spider-Girls limited series. You should recognize all these spider ladies now!

#spider-girl #spider-woman #spider-gwen #jessica drew #mayday parker #ana corazon #gwen stacy #spider-man #spider-verse #marvel comics

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oldbaton · 1 year

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Like even Sondheims death was more insular to the theatre community. But it was deeply felt in midtown. You’d hear his name in passing everyone at the bars near the theatre district was talking about it.

And even when MJ died I don’t think it was as… personal as this. Because even communities where he is big he has a complicated legacy. That said, I wasn’t living in an area where I would have experienced it so who knows.

But Aretha. It was so felt it was in the air. She was playing in every store you heard her on the street pouring out the windows. The Franklin avenue station had signs that said RESPECT under the Franklin which is still there. It was such a palpable death.

#this obviously has to do with the fact that Brooklyn has a large black community #and even being outside of the culture as a white person #it was just so palpable

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kitausuret · 1 year

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2022 Year in Review

Tagged by the delightful @seek--rest .

1. Number of stories posted to AO3: 19 new pieces, and 3 chapters updated on Dust to Dust.

2. Word count this year: 63,201 (wow!), with 17,337 of those words having been added to Dust to Dust.

3. Fandoms I wrote for: Venom (comics), Marvel 616, MC2 (Marvel), Spider-Man (comicsverse), Fantastic Four (comicsverse), Carnage (comics), Scarlet Witch (comic), Venom (movies)

4. Pairings: - Eddie Brock/Flash Thompson/Venom Symbiote - Peter Parker/Mary Jane Watson - Flash Thompson/Venom Symbiote - Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote - Dan Lewis/Anne Weying/Venom Symbiote/Eddie Brock ...and then a bunch of platonic pairings as well! But we would be here all day for that.

5. Stories with the most... (note: I am excluding DTD since that has been a multi-year project) Kudos: Don't Misread the Signs (D.A.V.E.) - 85 Bookmarks: Don't Misread the Signs (D.A.V.E.) - 21 Comment Threads: Complicate Me, Elevate Me (Symbiot3) - 8 Word Count: Finding the Light Again (Symbrock, VenomFlash, Symbiot3) - 5,206

6. Work I'm most proud of... Honestly? Dust to Dust is the obvious answer, because any progress I make on it, I consider an accomplishment... but I'm really, stupidly happy with how "Anywhere but Here" (Eddie Brock | Venom & Mary Jane Watson, set during Maximum Carnage) turned out. MJ is such a complicated character with such a long, long, long history behind her and I'd wanted to address the friction between her and Venom for an awfully long time. As you can see by the bottom (being shameless here) I was happy enough with it that I wanted some art, and @maydayparkers was kind enough to indulge me.

7. Work I'm least proud of: Kind of an odd question? I'm proud of everything I wrote this year, haha, but hmmm I wish I'd done more research on the Fantastic Four comics of the era before writing "A Day at the Park". I felt pretty unsure going into writing it, because I really wanted to write the time that the Venom Symbiote was in the custody of the F4 but I didn't want to read the Byrne F4 run... still, it's not like me to write something in an era where I'm largely winging it. I'm glad the fic was well-received regardless, I loved writing ReedSue (and Franklin!).

8. A favorite review I received: Let me tell you something: I got not one but two really heartfelt comments on "The Look of You" (symbiot3, a focus on Eddie), which is a fic I was a little nervous about posting but I'm so glad I did. I also got some beautiful art done by my friend Nex (my commission is the second picture in the link), which you can see also at the bottom of the fic.

@guessimabasicnerdgirlnow also left me these really sweet words:

Aww, this is beautiful. We don’t see fictional men with body image issues often, but this fits Eddie very well, he’s very proud of those muscles so it’s easy to imagine that the idea of getting fat would bother him. Good thing he has two loving partners that are there for him to help him accept this new shape and understand that it is healthy. (And who also helped him reach this healthy state in first place). Ah, and isn’t this setting a fan’s perfect fantasy: them all happy and living in decent conditions, getting healthier, loving and supporting one another? 🥺

I also had a close friend reach out to me after reading the fic to tell me how much it meant to her, and that she really enjoyed seeing a story where weight gain and body shape change were portrayed as a positive thing. In fact I'm getting a little choked up and teary just thinking about what she said because it really, really touched me.

Like... a lot of what I write is just kind of silly, self-indulgent stuff. Or fluff. Or smut. But this is one that was really important to me.

9. A time when writing was really, really hard: Uuuuhhh gosh. I burned myself out pretty hard after Symbruary, but I managed to get "Complicate Me, Elevate Me" out as my 100th fic after a DTD update. It's probably my favorite Symbiot3 smutfic that I've written so far. Porn with feelings! It took me forEVER to finish, though, especially given that I'd started it back in February.

10. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you: When I was trying to come up with ideas for Comics Scarlet Witch Week, which eventually led to "What Binds Us Together", I was stunned to discover that Victoria and Wanda had canon interactions together. I guess I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed writing them together, to the point where I'm excited to write them in a much larger piece for this year. I love... women.... 💋

I also created an attorney OC for Dust to Dust Chs. 12-13 that I got really weirdly attached to LOL. Jason Tolliver, you deserve better than what I put you through.

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing: From "Stranger in a Strange Land" (Andi Benton | Mania & April Parker), which I wrote for Symbruary Day 1:

Her expression wavered. For a second, it looked like April was going to break down, but all at once, her whole face set. She ground her teeth and shoved past Andi. “You’re wrong. I’m not like any scenario you’ve ever known.” She watched April keep going. And then- “Mania was made in a lab.” April stopped. “My… my symbiote. It - she was made in a lab. Just a piece of the Venom symbiote. A copy.” Andi stepped closer, uncertain at first, but her voice growing clearer as she went on. “For the longest time, she didn’t know who she was, or how to feel, or where she belonged - even getting attached to me, it was a mistake. She was alone, and scared, and all she’d ever known her whole life was anger and hatred.”

12. How did you grow as a writer this year: I expanded into quite a few more pairings! I wrote my first Parksborn fic, I wrote a fic focused just on Tarna and her partner from Venom: Space Knight, my first proper PeterMJ fic, and my first fic with Jubulile as Toxin's host. I also wrote my first fic with Wanda that I've truly felt proud of (sorry, Wavelengths) with "What Binds Us Together".

13. How do you hope to grow next year: Honestly, I want to continue expanding the characters and pairings I write about. I want to explore a wider variety of characters - like honestly. I want to write more women. That might sound silly but it's true! I just need to get some of my ideas actually into Fic Form instead of just rolling them around in my head.

14. Who was your greatest positive influence this year: Oh gosh oh gosh. There are so many people I could tag here. @amaronith, always, for never letting DTD die and for always supporting my symbiot3 works. @softgrungeprophet for the HOURS of conversation about PeterFlash and HarryFlash and Flash Generally Speaking. @theopolis for accidentally giving DTD a B plot by getting me into Harry (like, REALLY getting me into Harry). @seek--rest for her insight on fic stuff and encouraging me to go outside my comfort zone. The 3 artists I commissioned for works based on my fics. @decaffeinatedparadisemaker for just being an absolutely delightful person to get to know and I love talking to him about fic stuff. @oliveroctavius for also giving me Harry brain worms but in a different way. Possibly a worse way. I have a WIP inspired by one of his pieces, it's.. it's definitely something lol.

15. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year: There's a character in one of my fics named after one of my co-workers. That's all I'm gonna say!

16. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers: Don't read comics or you will get way more ideas than you will know what to do with. Also don't read comics intending to learn more about one ship because you'll just end up completely fixated on a different ship and before you know it you've got a high school au with a meetcute between a football player and a marching band pit member and also it's based on the Gwen Stacy mini.

17. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year: OBVIOUSLY I'm looking forward to getting back to Dust to Dust. Hopefully this weekend I'll finish the New Year's Eve Coffee Bean Gang fic I meant to finish.. uh.. last weekend. But otherwise, there are a tooooon of WIPs in the most recent entries of the asked and answered tag. Have fun!

Here's a little snip from the NYE fic though:

“Well, I hope that Petey-o gets here before the ball drops,” Mary Jane said. She did a little spin, sending her sequined skater skirt twirling around her hips before she stopped and draped her arms over Gwen’s shoulders. She leaned in with a wide grin. “Or else I’m going to get the first kiss of the new year from Miss Gwendolyn.” Gwen flushed bright pink and turned to dislodge her friend’s arms. “Now that’s ridiculous. Can you imagine all those people down in Times Square, just… just kissing strangers? All because of, what, the time of the year? Getting twenty dollar hats and stupid novelty sunglasses you can only wear for one day, tourist madness, all night cleanup for—”

Me: it's a PeterFlash fic Also Me: it's an Everyone fic

18. Tag some writers whose answers you’d like to read: Not sure who hasn't done this, but if you'd like to, you definitely should go for it! Or even just answer the questions you want, I'm not your boss.

#asked and answered #kinda?? i was tagged #tag game #kita talks writing #i am absolutely not normal about The Look of You though I'm seriously so like... i love that one so much #it's my new comfort fic #that and CMEM hehehe #it was a great year for writing actually

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arxchnoverturea · 1 year

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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐓

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒 ――

FULL NAME. May Parker

NICKNAMES. Mayday

ALIAS(ES). Spider-Girl, Spider-Woman

SEX. Female

HEIGHT. 5′7″

AGE. Depends on the verse, but typically around 24 in my writing

ZODIAC. Scorpio

SPOKEN LANGUAGES. English

𝐏𝐇𝐘𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒 ――

HAIR COLOR. Brown

EYE COLOR. Blue

SKIN TONE. Pale

BODY TYPE. Athletic, as she was a star athlete prior to her Spider abilities manifesting. The latter amplified it even further.

VOICE. Leans more so towards her mother’s, vocal mannerisms being a mix of MJ’s and Peter’s.

DOMINANT HAND. Right

POSTURE. She tends to hunch over with her head low, usually has her hands in her pockets if they aren’t wrapped around her phone.

SCARS. Some faded burn scars, plus scarring on her stomach and her back from various impalements.

TATTOOS. Used to have a couple, lost them due to severe burns, when the skin regenerated, the ink was gone.

PIERCINGS. various ones in her ears, a stud in her right nostril, one in her right eyebrow. ‘snake bites’ in her bottom lip, a belly button piercing, barbells in her nipples, one more pending in a... personal place.

BIRTHMARKS. None (Hellmark doesn’t count)

MOST NOTICEABLE FEATURES. The piercings and purple hair

𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃 ――

PLACE OF BIRTH. New York City, New York

HOMETOWN. New York City

SIBLINGS. Annie Parker, Benjy Parker, April Parker (Clone)

PARENTS. Mary Jane Watson-Parker (Mother, Alive), Peter Parker (Alive)

A𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 ――

OCCUPATION. Full-time college student, interning at police lab where her father works.

CURRENT RESIDENCE(S). Manhattan, New York

CLOSE FRIENDS. Normie Osborn, Brad Miller, Davida Kirby, Moose Mansfield, Felicity Hardy, Shannon Carter, Franklin Richards, Courtney, Jimmy Yama

FINANCIAL STATUS. Middle-Class

DRIVER’S LICENSE. Yes

CRIMINAL RECORD. No

VICES. Junk food

𝐒𝐄𝐗 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 ――

SEXUAL ORIENTATION. Bisexual, leaning towards women

LIBIDO. Fluctuates .

TURN-OFFS. Blood-play, excessive possessiveness,

LOVE LANGUAGE. Physical, although dipping into Quality Time as well.

RELATIONSHIP TENDENCIES. Very loving, thoughtful to her partners, leaning on them in times of need, and hoping they’ll do the same.

𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐎𝐔𝐒 ――

CHARACTER’S THEME SONG. ‘Real World’ by Matchbox Twenty

HOBBIES TO PASS TIME. Basketball, listening to music,

MENTAL ILLNESSES. Mild depression

SELF-CONFIDENCE LEVEL. Mid-to-high.

tagging: @antispidcr , @gwenbiote , @underude , @redhead-reporter , and YOU

#out of character talk (ooc)#muse: mayday parker

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non-binary-laurie-strode · 2 years

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Not me seeing "Best Book goes to MJ" (as in Marc J Franklin) and being confused for a minute oops

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official-wayward-keener · 2 years

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Spideytorch Bingo - parents

Family-In-Progress

Sometimes family is a dad and his daughter but sometimes family adds on as life happens.

Ao3 Link here

Peter knew working at Mayday’s school was a problem. Mayday was like MJ a lot. Something that was scary. Though she was also a lot like him. After MJ… well Peter didn’t want to think about that. He had lost her and now he had his daughter. So it had been a while since he had done much as Spidey because being a dad came first when you had a kid. So taking up being a teacher was the best job he could when he had a young daughter. So teaching in a middle school was never his ideal job but it was nice compared to where he could be working. It was great for Peter because he had a normal job. It was also great for Mayday, since he would always have the same schedule. Peter now worked at her school and knew all her teachers. He knew Mayday was just as smart as him, maybe smarter. That is why he was proud of his daughter. So when the school assembly happened he figured nothing of it as the Fantastic Four spoke about the science field and the many jobs that they had related to science. Peter watched Johnny missing his friend. Missing having someone around who was just like him. Johnny was the same but he didn’t see Peter sitting there watching him. Mayday did though. She was watching her dad’s reaction to Johnny Storm.

“Your dad has the hots for Johnny Storm,” her friend said.

“He probably does,” Mayday said. “He hasn’t dated anyone since I was born. Maybe when we get to ask questions I can get Johnny’s attention.”

“That would be awesome to have a superhero parent,” her friend said. Mayday already knew what it was like to have a superhero parent and it wasn’t all that they were thinking it was like.

“Now we will be taking serious science questions,” Reed said. Mayday smiled as she raised her hand.

“Miss in the blue and red shirt,” Johnny said. Reed looked at him like he was annoyed.

“Do you think you could recreate Spider-Man’s webs?” Mayday asked. Her dad looked at her and rolled his eyes.

“Spidey’s webs are his own but the chemical formula would be amazing to learn,” Reed said.

“How about creating an adhesive based on the same formula to help people that have gunshot wounds or stab wounds so they don’t bleed to death?” Mayday suggested.

“That actually would be interesting. We would have to look into that suggestion. May I have a name so I can give credit to the achievement?” Sue asked.

“Mayday Parker,” she said. Johnny seemed to get interested at that as Reed wrote down and moved one to the next question. Mayday found it interesting that Johnny Storm now was watching her as if he knew her. At the end of the assembly, Peter had found his daughter and pulled her aside to talk to her.

“What was that?” Peter said.

“I was just asking a question,” Mayday said.

“You know good and well that we don’t talk about Spider-Man,” Peter said.

“It’s not like Johnny Storm knows I’m Spider-Man’s daughter,” Mayday said.

“He does now,” Peter said. Mayday paused as she realized something. Her dad had superhero friends. Johnny Storm was around his age. He could know Johnny from his Spidey days. Like how he knew Uncle Matt.

“Look, I didn’t know you knew Johnny,” Mayday said.

“It’s fine, just get to class and we will talk more tonight,” Peter said. Mayday nodded heading back to class. Peter went back to his classroom using his prep to deal with his stress and calm himself. He heard the knock before he opened the door to a Johnny Storm.

“Hey Pete,” Johnny said. “It's been a while.”

“It has been,” Peter said.

“Franklin is in high school now,” Johnny said.

“Well you just met my daughter, Mayday,” Peter said.

“She reminds me of you,” Johnny said.

“I should have stayed in touch,” Peter said. Johnny didn’t know what to say. He wanted to be mad at Peter Parker but also he wanted to kiss the same boy who was his best friend now a man who he seriously found attractive.

“Would you like to make it up to me over dinner?” Johnny asked. Peter looked at him. “As friends of course unless…” Johnny couldn’t finish.

“I would like to. As more than friends,” Peter said. Johnny smiled and told him a date and Peter just knew if Mayday found out he would never live this down because he knew his daughter knew. The way she had asked about Johnny was the same way MJ used to before they got serious. Peter knew he always had a crush on Johnny but it had grown over the years.

“I think you should bring Mr. Storm over,” Mayday suggested one night. Peter had been secretly going on dates and Mayday didn’t know why she was spending more time at Aunt May’s. Peter claimed it was May wanting time with her great niece but Mayday didn’t believe that.

“Johnny Storm is a busy man,” Peter stated.

“You used to be a superhero too,” Mayday said. “Just bring him over one day when he is not busy so I can meet him.”

“I thought superheroes don’t impress you,” Peter stated.

“They don’t,” Mayday said. “But Mr. Storm was your friend wasn’t he?”

“He was a friend,” Peter said but Mayday wouldn’t let go of meeting Johnny. Peter didn’t know why so he texted Johnny who offered dinner at the Baxter building. Peter knew Mayday would enjoy that, but he didn’t know how remeeting the team would go since he didn’t know if Johnny was keeping their dates a secret or not.

Peter led Mayday through the tower until they reached Johnny’s floor. The team was all there already. Peter smiled and hugged Sue who checked him over for injury. Something she started doing when he was seventeen and came in with broken ribs and she found out. Johnny hugged him next and told him that he didn’t tell his family yet. Which was a relief. Sue pulled Mayday into a hug and welcomed her to the family.

“Your father should have brought you here sooner. He is pretty much family,” Sue said. Franklin and Val introduced themselves to her. It was nice to have a family this big and Mayday wondered why Peter cut himself off from people who felt like family to him.

“How are you doing Webs?” Ben asked.

“Haven’t been out in a suit in years, you can just call me Peter or Pete, you know,” Peter said.

“You will always be Webs to me, Kid,” Ben said.

“It is nice to see you back here,” Reed said.

“Reed means he misses having your intellect around,” Johnny said. Peter punched Johnny’s arm and Johnny punched his arm back before they started wrestling like old times.

“You both aren’t kids anymore,” Sue reminded them.

“They will always be kids,” Ben said. Peter and Johnny pulled away and smiled at each other. Mayday noticed it. She was going to get them together by the end of the night. She knew she had to.

“I can’t believe your dad is Spider-Man,” Franklin said.

“I mean it’s alright and all,” Mayday said.

“Do you have powers?” Franklin said.

“No,” Mayday lied. She did but her family never talked about it. Well her dad didn’t. Aunt May told her that she was going to follow her dad’s path one of these days when he wasn’t looking.

“So what is it like being the kid of Spider-Man?” Franklin asked.

“I mean he retired the suit when I was little so I wouldn’t know,” Mayday admitted. Which was true. He did retire after she was born because she was his responsibility. She wondered if he ever regretted it. Seeing him now with Johnny she just wondered if she hadn’t been born, would they already be together? “I need a minute. Is there a balcony?” Franklin showed her the way and she took a few breaths. She didn’t like to think of her dad regretting her being born but it was a constant thought since she found out what he gave up.

“Hey,” Johnny said. “Can I sit by you?” She nodded. “Franklin said you seemed upset so I told Peter I would talk to you cause sometimes he is a little oblivious to problems.”

“He isn’t when it comes to me,” She said.

“How about you tell me what is wrong and I can tell you what I think is wrong if I don’t think you told me the correct answer,” Johnny said. Mayday looked at him confused. “Humor me. Franklin and I play this all the time.”

“I just was wondering if Dad would be more happy if I wasn’t born,” Mayday said.

“Peter loves you. Everytime we hang out since we remeet at your school, he talks about his daughter and how much she is brilliant. I swear I know you better than I know him at this point,” Johnny said. Mayday looked at him surprised.

“You and Dad have been hanging out?” Mayday asked.

“Peter is one of my oldest friends. I would never lose touch if I knew anyways. Even before we remeet at your school, we still texted on and off. He would tell me about his little girl and I would tell him about Franklin and Val,” Johnny said.

“I didn’t know that,” Mayday said. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” Johnny said.

“Do you love my dad?” Mayday asked.

“With all my heart,” Johnny said. Mayday smiled.

“Would you be willing to tolerate his daughter as yours one day?” Mayday asked.

“Now wait a minute, are you proposing for your dad when he and I have only gone on a few dates?” Johnny asked. Mayday looked at him shocked. “Oh right he hasn’t told you.”

“You both have secretly been dating,” Mayday said.

“He didn’t want you to find out in case it didn’t go well. To be honest, it is going so well that claiming I got a daughter feels right,” Johnny said. Mayday looked at him confused before she put two and two together and hugged Johnny. Peter slipped out at this point and seemed confused.

“Did I miss something?” Peter said.

“Just having some father/daughter time with my step-daughter,” Johnny said. Peter seemed even more confused. “She knows we are dating now. I may have let it slip.”

“Are you okay with it?” he asked his little Spiderling.

“I am perfectly content with you dating Johnny,” Mayday said. Peter smiled and joined in their hug. It was a family in progress but a family it was.

#spideytorch #peter parker #johnny storm #mayday parker #single parent peter parker

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joesalw · 5 months

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Have peace in knowing that Taylors most recognizable song is one of the worst Songs ever.

Shake it off. That song is truly gut wrenching terrible. And it perfectly shows that she is a mid artist at best..

Like with

Rihanna it's Umbrella

MJ is Billie Jean

Beyonce: Single Ladies

Whitney Houston: I will always love you

Celine Dion: My heart will go on

Adele: Rolling in the deep

Mariah Carey: Hero

Aretha Franklin: Respect

All of them are great songs.

#anti taylor swift #swifties dni

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dangerstxrlet · 2 years

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+ ( MJ and Peter have definitely babysat Franklin and Valeria for Reed and Sue , just as Susan and Reed have babysat Mayday and Annie before. )

#out of character talk (ooc)

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such-familiar-distance · 3 months

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Omg another Arslan reader! Hi, found you from Welcome to Oslov (her asker!). No fight needed! I'm thrilled to hear your thoughts.

I do agree with the reviewers who say the weird old quotes calling it "a masterpiece of political SciFi" is laughable. It is absolutely not 😂. The main plot stuff and its conclusion is truly stupid; like listening to someone blather on talking who's way less smart than they think they are. ColcColdHeart/Welcome to Oslov is doing what MJ Engh wished she could.

I disagree with the lack of women criticisms (just personally, I don't care, and prefer the remove of engaging with the story when the characters *aren't* just like me). I also disagree with the ones who think Hunt falls in love with Arslan. He doesn't, and this is where MJ Engh is brilliant and subversive.

I think it's the story told through Hunt that is the she wanted to tell. Perhaps she felt she had to cloak it in "political scifi" to get it out there.

This is someone who knew what she was talking about: that was my overwhelming feeling reading it, as someone who suffered something terrible, though very different from Hunt's, during the years he did.

His incredulity at the utter lack of help from Franklin Bond - subtely & masterfully shown not through Hunt's thoughts, but through Franklin's gaze at him during his stupid, handwringing, worthless concern in their scenes together. His feelings of rejection from his parents and friends - but how Arslan knew that would happen, orchestrating it to solidify his power over Hunt. He's being failed on both ends - by the one who's trying to hurt him, but more importantly, by the ones too weak not to.

This completely changes Hunt's entire understanding of the universe - and that's where I knew MJ Engh knows what she was talking about.

Blah blah global takeover whatever - this book is the scream at every stupid adult who hurt or let down or judged a kid who shouldn't have been treated that way - and at how it becomes impossible to wrestle what should be those peoples' rightful shame out of the person who experienced those failings, but within whom it becomes embedded.

Like the story-within-a-story that this book is, Hunt's POV too dances around what he's really saying; he cloaks what he's really thinking in things only those of us who understand what he's gone through (in whatever form) will understand. He doesn't love Arslan. He never does. His thoughts make that clear, though I see why some could misinterpret.

It's because they don't get it.

And MJ Engh does.

I am an Arslan enjoyer, but I guess I disagree that the plot is stupid. I think it's actually quite smart and pointed about how fascism functions, and I don't think it's political scifi the way that something like Banks' Culture series, Cyteen, or Ancillary Justice is political, but I don't think you can separate the way Hunt's trauma is handled from the politics plot. They're both handled in an dreamlike, parable type way because neither is about actual politics or domestic abuse, they're about absolute power over people writ large, to expose how each works on an intimate scale. Hunt's abuse isn't realistic because it's not like a lot of people are getting kidnapped by warlords and held captive for decades, but his trauma is realistic because it resonates with how real people's long term abuse in more common domestic settings functions. I think the same thing is true about the fascism of it all: it's not meant to be a realistic-ish Russians Invade story like Red Dawn, but more like the exaggerated dystopia of something like 1984, Handmaid's Tale (the book version) or Octavia Butler's Parable books because it's about how people function in a system taken to absurdist exaggeration. Engh's other novel Rainbow Man deals with gender binary and religious absolutism on the same kind of level, and I think she did very much know what she was doing in linking the absolute power over people in abuse and fascism.

#ymmv but I think it's a very smart novel #arslan

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